Our home office is in Middlebury, Indiana, in the very northern part of the state about 6 miles from the Michigan line.
We have held Auctions throughout the Mid-West and Eastern part of the United States: Alabama, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
We have specific Staff members who specialize in the marketing and selling of:
We accept:
**For large amounts paid by Personal Check, it is advisable to have a letter from the bank where the checking account is held, indicating a maximum amount the check is guaranteed for. This is especially important when purchasing Vehicles or Rolling Stock if you wish to drive the purchase away on sale day.
It is a set percentage charged in addition to the Highest Bid price on each item, retained by the auction company.
Examples:
There is no fee up to $2500. We will not accept credit cards if the total invoice is over $2500.
Call the Bright Star Office during business hours at 574-825-0704.
Business Hours are M - F, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. excluding major holidays.
This varies with each auction. Typically, Small Items must be removed within 2 days.
For Larger items, Equipment, and Rolling Stock, buyers usually have 14 – 30 days to remove.
Yes.
If you send a trucking or logistics company to pick up your items, they need a copy of your paid invoice as well.
No, however, we can recommend Logistics companies that offer that type of service.
Rigging and Loadout terms vary from auction to auction. Please check the rigging and loadout terms at the auction level.
Not usually.
While we always try to convey all offers to the sellers, once something is contracted to be sold at Auction, we recommend that the sellers wait to sell it till the day of the Auction. This is the fairest practice for the other bidders who are waiting on the item until Auction Day.
Call the Bright Star home office and a team member will connect you to the Equipment Specialist in charge of that auction.
Generally, yes -- items usually can be seen a few days ahead of the Auction.
Call the Bright Star Home Office at 574-825-0704 for details.
It is an Auction where there are no reserves or minimum prices. Each item will be sold to the Highest Bidder.
Vehicle titles will be held in our office until full payment has been received. We will then mail titles via Priority Mail, which includes a tracking number. Please allow 2 weeks for this process. Your title will be filled in with the name and address on your invoice unless you direct otherwise.
Visit our bidding website for online registration or call the Bright Star Home Office at 574-825-0704.
No. The online system will 'test' your credit card to make sure it is valid. It will put a hold on a $1 and then release that hold in a couple days. Buyers who want to drive or tow their purchase away on the day of sale should be prepared to pay with Cash, Cashier’s Checks, or a Check WITH BANK LETTER guaranteeing the Check at least up to the amount of purchase. Additionally, the BANK LETTER must be from the same bank that holds the checking account.
Yes, our bidding website is located at bid.brightstarauctions.com
Register in 5 easy steps ...
Our Home Office is happy to assist: 574-825-0704 (EXT 1)
Sometimes we offer bidding on third party sites such as Proxibid, Bidspotter, AuctionTime or Equipment Facts. Usually, the Buyers’ Premium is a few points higher on these third-party sites.
A Max Bid (maximum bid) is a bid you place on bid.brightstarauctions.com or other online Auction sites, representing the highest amount that you are willing to pay for a specific item.
As other buyers place bids on that item, the online bidding technology will “bid” on your behalf. The platform will always place the lowest bid necessary for you and will not exceed your maximum.
Probably not. If other bidders do not bid against you, you will be the High Bidder at a lower price than your Max Bid.
Also, if you are the High Bidder at the end of the Auction, your amount due will have the Buyers’ Premium added in plus any taxes if applicable.
If no one else bids, the price will stay at the base price for that item. Once someone else bids, the online program will counter-bid the lowest amount necessary on your behalf.
The simple answer -- an Absentee Bid is the highest price you are willing to pay for a specific item as a Registered Bidder By Phone or In Person. It is placed directly with the Auction Company ahead of the sale. It does not include the Buyer’s Premium and/or sales tax; please consider these additional costs before placing an Absentee Bid. Call the Bright Star home office ahead of the sale at 574-825-0704. Our Office Hours are: M – F, 8 am – 4 pm eastern time
Bright Star offers 2 types of Absentee Bids: Absentee Firm Bid or Absentee Bid Plus 1. See descriptions and examples below:
Absentee Firm Bid: Buyer places an absentee bid of $5,000 on a Forklift. In the event of a tie with another bidder, the other bidder will get the Forklift because your bid of $5,000 is “firm” and cannot be increased to break the tie.
Absentee Bid Plus 1: Buyer places an Absentee Bid of “$5,000 plus 1” on a Forklift. In the event of a tie, the Auctioneer will bid one more time on your behalf. If someone does not counter-bid, then the item will be yours.
Again, Absentee Bids do not include Buyers’ Premiums or Sales Tax.
Examples of Absentee Bidding:
“Buyer A” places an Absentee Firm Bid of $2000 on log deck. The bidding action goes up to $1800 and stops. Buyer A is the high bidder at $1800 because the bidding stopped below their Absentee Bid of $2000. With the Buyer’s Premium and tax added in, Buyer A’s total is around $2034.
Here is the breakdown: Highest Bid = $1800; Buyer’s Premium (13%) = $234.
“Buyer B” places an Absentee Bid Plus 1 of $1300 for a pallet of wood. The bidding reaches $1300. The Auctioneer bids one more time on Buyer B’s behalf -- $1350. The other buyer chooses not to counter – so Buyer B is the High Bidder with $1350.
His total: Highest Bid = $1350, Buyers’ Premium (13%) = $175.50. Total due = $1525.50
“Buyer C” places an Absentee Bid Plus 1 of $750 on a log splitter. The auction goes up to $750, the Auctioneer bids one more time for him at $800, but someone counters with $850. Buyer C is out because his absentee bid plus one has been exceeded by another bidder.
It is an auction held online and on phone rather than with an on-site audience. An announcer describes each item and an auctioneer receives bids from internet platforms and a conference phone line until a high bid is reached. The asset is then pronounced sold and the announcer and auctioneer proceed with the next item.
Yes — Bank wires, checks, and cash can be done in combination. Credit cards will only be accepted for Invoices of no more than $2500, whether or not another payment method is also used.
No.
No. Payments after Auction Day need to go through our Home Office. Call 574-825-0704 between the hours of 8 AM - 4 PM eastern time to take care of payment.
You can finance a wide range of equipment, including construction, forestry, agricultural, and industrial machinery purchased through Bright Star Auctions.
Simply visit our Financial Services page and complete the online application. A representative will contact you within one business day to discuss your options.
Yes, we encourage you to get pre-approved so you can bid confidently during the auction. Pre-approval is quick and easy.
Financing terms and rates vary based on the type of equipment, loan amount, and creditworthiness. Our team will work with you to find a plan that fits your budget.
We strive to process applications quickly. In most cases, you’ll hear back within one business day.
If you’re pre-approved for financing but don’t win the auction, your approval can be transferred to future purchases within a set period, subject to terms and conditions.
Financing fees depend on the loan terms and plan. Our representatives will provide a detailed breakdown during the application process.
For any questions or assistance, contact our Financial Services team directly at Bright Star Auctions.
